Series Preview: Struggling Phillies welcome the surging Atlanta Braves to town for a 3-game set
The Philadelphia Phillies welcome the Atlanta Braves to Citizens Bank Park tonight at 7:05 for a three-game series. Ranger Suarez (7-5, 4.07 ERA) gets the ball for the Phils, going up against Max Fried (10-3, 2.64 ERA) of Atlanta.
The first weekend back from the All-Star Game wasn’t a good one for the Phillies, being swept by the 38-57 Chicago Cubs. The Phillies posted just seven runs in three games, striking out 21 times and holding a team slash line of .208/.279/.337.
With just over a week till the August 2nd trade deadline, the Phillies have to start winning ballgames. Sitting at 49-46 on the year, this Braves series will determine some big decisions that will come over the next week. Multiple things are needed for this roster right now, but here’s how I currently rank them.
Phillies Deadline Needs
- Starting Pitcher
- Solid Long Reliever
- Centerfielder
Getting a solid 3-5 SP is the most important thing for the Phillies and it isn’t remotely close. bailey Falter can not start every five days for this baseball team if they’re serious about winning. Luis Castillo and Frankie Montas are two big names that have been rumored throughout the league, along with the Phillies being rumored as a potential landing spot for Noah Syndergaard.
Luckily, we won’t see Falter during this series after he threw in Sunday’s loss to the Cubs. The Phillies will send out Suarez/Nola/Gibson for the three-game set, with a few big names going for the Braves, who have been a fantastic baseball team over the last month and a half.
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Series Pitching Matchups
- Monday (7:05 EST): Ranger Suarez vs Max Fried
- Tuesday (7:05 EST): Aaron Nola vs Spencer Strider
- Wednesday (12:35 EST): Kyle Gibson vs Charlie Morton
Ranger Suarez vs Max Fried
Ranger Suarez takes the hill for the Phillies, who has struggled at CBP this season. Suarez holds just a 1-4 record, with a 5.15 ERA and 30 Ks. He’s 7-5 on the year, with a 4.07 ERA and 68 Ks. His last outing against Atlanta was ok, but he never received offense from the Phils, losing a 4-1 game in which he went six and two-thirds. Max Fried is on the other side, who has been fantastic on the road, holding a 5-0 record with just a 2.51 ERA in seven road starts.
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Phillies Starting Lineup
Lineup Notes: Phils leave Vierling in the leadoff spot and stack seven total righties in the box against Fried. Didi gets the night off.
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
| Braves | -1.5 (-110) | -188 | O8.5 (-108) |
| Phillies | +1.5 (-110) | +158 | U8.5 (-112) |
Prediction
This series is huge, and it all comes down to the offense coming alive. The Phillies’ whole season could rely on the outcome of this series, and they’re going to have to play extremely good baseball.
- Series Prediction: Phillies take 2 of 3
- Tonight’s Prediction: Phils WIN 6-4
- Series MVP: Bryson Stott
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